Fresh versus Frozen Fish
We often get questions about fresh versus frozen fish. Is fresh fish or frozen fish the better option? We break down our response into two parts. First, it’s all about the quality of the fish and how fishermen handle the fish. Second, frozen fish is better for the environment.
Quality and Handling
We emphasize that the quality of the fish matters far more than whether the fish is frozen or not. Our fishermen put an extraordinary effort into each fish they haul onto their boats. SPC fishermen catch, clean, and stow their fish quickly to lock in freshness. In addition, blast freezing locks all the nutrients in and stops any degradation, meaning our fish are as fresh as the minute they left the ocean.
Quickly freezing seafood locks in the great flavor of a freshly caught fish. In a blind taste test, consumers rated flash-frozen seafood as either more appealing or statistically the same as never-frozen fish. While we’re biased, because we sell frozen seafood, consumers also noted an improved taste!
To sum it up, premium flavor is all about starting with a high-quality fish, treating it with care, freezing it quickly, and keeping it cold until it’s time to cook. Read more about what happens behind-the-scenes in this blog post about frozen and fresh seafood.
Reducing Waste
In addition to its delicious flavor, frozen seafood is better for the environment than never-frozen fish. Never-frozen fish requires air travel, increasing carbon emissions. Frozen seafood is also easier to transport and reduces waste. 23% of never-frozen fish in supermarkets goes to waste. While consumers need to use never-frozen fish quickly, you can store frozen fish for months. This means that frozen fish rarely goes to waste. Less food waste makes frozen fish a more sustainable alternative to never-frozen fish.
Chef and seafood educator Barton Seaver also notes that frozen seafood “is a major win for sustainability. It decreases waste and takes advantage of seasonal bounty to spread its availability throughout the year.” Frozen fish allows you, our customers, to enjoy wild Alaska seafood year round while helping to reduce food waste and carbon emissions. Choose the sustainable, tasty, and convenient seafood option and shop Alaska Gold today.
